The onset of
hurricane season reminds us how important it is to be
prepared. In addition to stocking up on essentials like
flashlights, batteries, bottled water and non-perishable
food; it is also important to do what we can to protect our
homes from hurricane damage.

You can learn about the steps you can take to harden your
home through the My Safe Florida Home (MSFH) program. From
the Panhandle to the Florida Keys, this free state program
is helping homeowners learn about the safety benefits of
strengthening their homes. An added benefit, taking steps to
mitigate your home may result in significant wind insurance
discounts.

Apply for your free wind inspection today from the MSFH
program at
www.MySafeFloridaHome.com. MSFH has performed more
than 230,000 free wind inspections to date and is working
with thousands of homeowners who wish to strengthen their
homes. After receiving a free inspection, you will get a
wind inspection report that gives you information about how
to improve your home’s resistance to hurricane damage.

Your inspection report will also tell you if you are
eligible for discounts on your wind insurance premiums.
Nearly 60 percent of Floridians who have received a free
wind inspection have learned they are eligible for wind
insurance discounts averaging $226—all without making a
single improvement.

Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink announced that
representatives from the Department of Financial Services’
(DFS) My Safe Florida Home program have partnered to host
the Storm Prep Expo at the Miami Beach Convention Center,
Hall C, on Saturday, May 31, 2008, from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. and
Sunday, June 1, from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Representatives from
CFO Sink’s office will be on hand to sign up homeowners for
free wind inspections, in addition to assisting attendees
with insurance questions.

The MSFH program has performed 20,061 free wind inspections
in Miami-Dade County. Nearly 11,933 homeowners in Miami-Dade
County have learned through wind inspections that they may
already be eligible for discounts of about $430 on their
wind insurance premiums, based on the existing structure of
their homes.

In 2007, the Florida Legislature directed the MSFH program
to provide inspections for at least 400,000 site-built,
single-family, residential properties and provide grants to
at least 35,000 applicants. The MSFH program has provided
more than 247,442 free wind inspections to date.
Participating homeowners receive a wind inspection report,
which suggests ways homeowners can harden their homes
against storm damage and informs homeowners if they are
currently eligible to save money on their wind insurance
premiums. To date, 59 percent of homeowners who have
received a free wind inspection are eligible for discounts
on their wind insurance premiums averaging $217 statewide.
For additional information, log on to
www.MySafeFloridaHome.com.

Marquis Williams and Igor Anderson from Godby High
School won second place.

Nims Middle school teacher Daniella Smith and third
place student Janaa Davis with CFO Sink.

CFO Sink and Healthy Kids Executive Director
Rich Robleto

LEON COUNTY'S LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS “ACT-OUT FOR HEALTH” TO WIN
KIDCARE PSA CONTEST

Three Lincoln High School students enjoyed the spotlight
today after winning the Florida KidCare “Act-Out for Health”
video PSA contest. Kyle Johnson, Christle Moorer and Darsak
Patel were honored by Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex
Sink and Healthy Kids Executive Director Rich Robleto today
for writing and producing a :30 second public service
announcement promoting the state-subsidized health insurance
program for kids under the age of 19. Their video PSA showed
what could happen if a student without health insurance got
hurt and urged families with uninsured kids to apply for
KidCare.

“We asked them to do two things, be creative and promote
KidCare, and the judges were very impressed with the winning
video that was submitted,” said CFO Sink, who chairs the
Healthy Kids board.

The PSA contest was created as a pilot project in Leon
County to engage middle and high school students and
increase awareness of the KidCare program among 12-18 year
olds after research showed a large number of kids in this
age group lack health care benefits.

“We wanted to do some creative outreach after seeing the
data from the recent study by the University of Florida
Institute for Child Health Policy. More than 500,000 kids
don’t have health insurance in Florida and the highest
percentage of those kids are between the ages of 12 and 18,”
said Robleto. “This contest allowed kids in this age-range,
whether they have insurance or not, to share their
perceptions and thoughts about getting good healthcare and
why families should enroll in the KidCare program.” CONTINUED

CFO SINK ANNOUNCES
ARREST FOR FRAUDULENT USE OF TAX DOLLARS IN PENSACOLA

Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, Secretary of the Florida
Department of Community Affairs Tom Pelham, and State
Attorney for the 1st Judicial Circuit of Florida William
Eddins today announced the arrest of an Escambia County
woman charged with fraudulently obtaining nearly $150,000 in
state funds from a local non-profit organization.

“It is upsetting to think someone would steal taxpayer
dollars from distressed communities trying to become better
places to work and raise a family,” said CFO Alex Sink. “I
am grateful to our staff and cooperating investigators
committed to ensuring every dollar is accounted for and
those responsible for defrauding taxpayers are held
accountable.”

Thelma Jean Manley, 49, former Community Liaison for the
Governor’s Front Porch Revitalization Council of Pensacola,
Inc., was charged Wednesday with aggravated white collar
crime, which is a first degree felony. If convicted, Manley
could be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison, in addition
to restitution and fines. The arrest is the result of a
year-long joint investigation by the Department of Financial
Services’ Office of Fiscal Integrity, the Department of
Community Affairs Office of Inspector General, and the 1st
Judicial Circuit’s State Attorney’s Office. CONTINUED

The Florida Trust for Historic Preservation
is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2008. Floridians and
visitors have gained an appreciation for the state's
heritage through the dedication of the Trust, which serves as Florida's
statewide not-for-profit organization dedicated to historic
preservation. The Trust protects Florida’s unique
historical, architectural, and archaeological resources
through the use of advocacy, education and historic property
stewardship.

Floridians
joined together in the 1970s to save
the Old Capitol in Tallahassee as a
symbol of Florida's important role in the Nation's
Bicentennial Anniversary.

With a resolution presented by CFO Sink this
week, the Governor and Cabinet recognized the Florida Trust
for Historic Preservation
for 30 years of service and dedicated stewardship to the
causes of historic and cultural affairs in Florida. CONTINUED

Money-Smart
Idea of the Week

Idea: Time to check out your insurance coverage

With hurricane season upon us, it is recommended
that people with homeowners or renters insurance
policies do the following:

• Take periodic inventories of belongings.
Supplement them with photos or videos.

A recent NAIC survey found that 48 percent of
homeowners didn't have any inventories of their
possessions. Of those with a checklist, 58 percent
lacked receipts and 32 percent didn't have any
photos. A comprehensive list
of your belongings and their value will help you
file an insurance claim after a disaster

The NAIC survey also
found that 43 percent of U.S. adults with homeowners
or renter’s insurance owned policies that provided a
replacement cost payout. Of the remaining consumers,
27 percent indicated their policies insured their
homes for the actual cash value, while another 28
percent did not know which type of coverage they
purchased.

Creating an inventory
and storing it in a safe location away from home is
one of the most basic — and most effective —
disaster preparedness steps anyone can take to help
protect themselves and their financial future.